Air snaps where my head had just been. Another split-second flip helps me avoid a razor-sharp blade from one of the moon elves, a maneuver made possible by the unmatched power of Sapphire. The AI chip is wired directly into my brain, enhancing every fiber of my being.
This combat artificial intelligence is actually my company, Aurora Corp's crown jewel. I sold the Sapphire v20 to the US government last year for over a trillion dollars. But the version pulsing in my neurons? Even more advanced than that! It's the v50 version. Despite its name, the "v" in v50 wasn’t for version—it’s short for "versus." With Sapphire, one can be equal to 50 men!
But fighting in a fantasy world is so much different than fighting on Earth. For one, those elves are freaking fast and my eyes sometimes cannot catch up, even with time dilation. Their speed is so surreal that I'm forced to depend not just on vision but also on auditory cues, while fine-tuning my senses to pick up even the most subtle disturbances in the surrounding air, tracing the flight paths of their deadly strikes. And two, there are many other slaves who are standing behind, either shooting nasty fireballs at me, or using magic to boost up the elves and healing them, or debuff me with vision disrupting spells and illusions. I resist all of those mental attacks though.
But still, it’s difficult. That’s why Sapphire is recalibrating. The AI isn't merely crunching numbers; it's navigating a matrix of unpredictable elements, evolving its tactics to outthink this new breed of adversaries.
But time, it seems, is not on my side. The longer the calculations are taking, the more evident it becomes: I’m in an overwhelmingly precarious position. While Sapphire is doing its best augmenting my reflexes and time perception, deciphering a way out of this death trap is proving a challenge even for its capabilities.
Every millisecond is a blur, every inch of space a potential death zone. In just seconds, which felt like minutes due to time dilation, I already counted 50 near-death experiences. Each dodge, each pivot, feels like dancing on the edge of a knife.
“WHAT IS TAKING YOU ALL SO LONG? KILL HIM! NOW!” Bromrik's roar echoes with malice and fury. That bastard is very much an angry orc after I shot him a couple more times in the head, constantly yelling.
Meanwhile, Sophia has managed to take cover behind a massive stone pillar. I shoot her a fleeting glance, thankful that Bromrik's burning gaze is now locked onto me. I simply cannot guarantee her safety right now, since my hands are all tied.
And speaking of hands…
My left arm is as good as gone. Not completely gone though, still salvageable. But still, I cannot move it any more. The attack earlier has served my nerves.
“Tsk… this is taking too long!”
Even with my augmented agility, I can feel the strain on my muscles. They're burning, screaming in protest from the relentless exertion and the unnatural contortions I’m forcing upon them. Simply evading isn't sustainable; I need an active strategy now!
Bang!
Even from this distance, my accuracy is impeccable. Bromrik crashes to the ground yet again. However, the same thing happens
The notification chimes in. Bare moments later, Bromrik’s twitching, shaking off death's grasp like it's nothing but a pesky inconvenience. I've downed him five times, yet he rises like a freaking zombie. How do you defeat a monster that simply refuses to die?
At that moment, a revelation strikes. A series of past events lines up, like puzzle pieces forming a bigger picture.
Of course!
How could I have been so blind? I'd dismissed those system notifications earlier, thinking there was some glitch, an error in the system. But they aren't glitches—they’re the key!
Must be it! Bromrik the chainmaster, he has an ability that takes away his slave’s life to recover his own! Basically, as long as he has slaves, he’s immortal!
So I just need to kill all of his slaves first?
But Sophia said that he owns hundreds of slaves!
Even if I fire every bullet in my arsenal, it’s still not enough!
Damn it!
I thought that I figured out a way to victory by learning about Bromrik’s secret. But that didn’t change anything at all.
Nice! Time for retaliation!
I’m eager to see what Sapphire will suggest to me.
Should I fight using Kung Fu?
Which one of those two elves should I go after first?
However…
“Aarghh! What the heck!?”
For a fleeting moment, I'm frozen, incredulous. Is this even real? My AI, the pinnacle of combat strategy, suggests retreat?
Well, if it said so, then I definitely should run. I think I can still run away though, but I would be leaving Sophia behind. She will most certainly die.
That doesn’t sit well to me. I don’t like that at all.
Afterall, I need her to help me navigate this world, to help me find my sister. And also, she has the Chameleon’s earrings!
Is there really no other way?
From afar, I can see Bromrik smirking at me. His disgusting smile makes my stomach turn.
Is there a way to kill this bastard a couple hundred times, without wasting bullets, while avoiding the slaves attack at the same time?
…
Wait!
There is!
Revelation strikes again. An idea comes up. I don’t know if this will work or not, but it doesn’t hurt to try!
So, with just one hand, I empty my mag, toss my gun spiraling up in the air, grab my other “special mag”, dodge an attack from the moon elves, then click!
Desert Eagle successfully reloaded!
Then, after finding a good opening, I steady my aim, hold my breath.
The very air seems to still. This time, it’s my turn to smirk back at him.
“Ha, eat this you pig,”
Bang!
The bullet flies again, straight into his head as usual.
Bluebery
Thank you for reading!
Next chapter: Monday Nov 6th.
Air snaps where my head had just been. Another split-second flip helps me avoid a razor-sharp blade from one of the moon elves, a maneuver made possible by the unmatched power of Sapphire. The AI chip is wired directly into my brain, enhancing every fiber of my being.
This combat artificial intelligence is actually my company, Aurora Corp's crown jewel. I sold the Sapphire v20 to the US government last year for over a trillion dollars. But the version pulsing in my neurons? Even more advanced than that! It's the v50 version. Despite its name, the "v" in v50 wasn’t for version—it’s short for "versus." With Sapphire, one can be equal to 50 men!
But fighting in a fantasy world is so much different than fighting on Earth. For one, those elves are freaking fast and my eyes sometimes cannot catch up, even with time dilation. Their speed is so surreal that I'm forced to depend not just on vision but also on auditory cues, while fine-tuning my senses to pick up even the most subtle disturbances in the surrounding air, tracing the flight paths of their deadly strikes. And two, there are many other slaves who are standing behind, either shooting nasty fireballs at me, or using magic to boost up the elves and healing them, or debuff me with vision disrupting spells and illusions. I resist all of those mental attacks though.
But still, it’s difficult. That’s why Sapphire is recalibrating. The AI isn't merely crunching numbers; it's navigating a matrix of unpredictable elements, evolving its tactics to outthink this new breed of adversaries.
But time, it seems, is not on my side. The longer the calculations are taking, the more evident it becomes: I’m in an overwhelmingly precarious position. While Sapphire is doing its best augmenting my reflexes and time perception, deciphering a way out of this death trap is proving a challenge even for its capabilities.
Every millisecond is a blur, every inch of space a potential death zone. In just seconds, which felt like minutes due to time dilation, I already counted 50 near-death experiences. Each dodge, each pivot, feels like dancing on the edge of a knife.
“WHAT IS TAKING YOU ALL SO LONG? KILL HIM! NOW!” Bromrik's roar echoes with malice and fury. That bastard is very much an angry orc after I shot him a couple more times in the head, constantly yelling.
Meanwhile, Sophia has managed to take cover behind a massive stone pillar. I shoot her a fleeting glance, thankful that Bromrik's burning gaze is now locked onto me. I simply cannot guarantee her safety right now, since my hands are all tied.
And speaking of hands…
My left arm is as good as gone. Not completely gone though, still salvageable. But still, I cannot move it any more. The attack earlier has served my nerves.
“Tsk… this is taking too long!”
Even with my augmented agility, I can feel the strain on my muscles. They're burning, screaming in protest from the relentless exertion and the unnatural contortions I’m forcing upon them. Simply evading isn't sustainable; I need an active strategy now!
Bang!
Even from this distance, my accuracy is impeccable. Bromrik crashes to the ground yet again. However, the same thing happens
The notification chimes in. Bare moments later, Bromrik’s twitching, shaking off death's grasp like it's nothing but a pesky inconvenience. I've downed him five times, yet he rises like a freaking zombie. How do you defeat a monster that simply refuses to die?
At that moment, a revelation strikes. A series of past events lines up, like puzzle pieces forming a bigger picture.
Of course!
How could I have been so blind? I'd dismissed those system notifications earlier, thinking there was some glitch, an error in the system. But they aren't glitches—they’re the key!
Must be it! Bromrik the chainmaster, he has an ability that takes away his slave’s life to recover his own! Basically, as long as he has slaves, he’s immortal!
So I just need to kill all of his slaves first?
But Sophia said that he owns hundreds of slaves!
Even if I fire every bullet in my arsenal, it’s still not enough!
Damn it!
I thought that I figured out a way to victory by learning about Bromrik’s secret. But that didn’t change anything at all.
Nice! Time for retaliation!
I’m eager to see what Sapphire will suggest to me.
Should I fight using Kung Fu?
Which one of those two elves should I go after first?
However…
“Aarghh! What the heck!?”
For a fleeting moment, I'm frozen, incredulous. Is this even real? My AI, the pinnacle of combat strategy, suggests retreat?
Well, if it said so, then I definitely should run. I think I can still run away though, but I would be leaving Sophia behind. She will most certainly die.
That doesn’t sit well to me. I don’t like that at all.
Afterall, I need her to help me navigate this world, to help me find my sister. And also, she has the Chameleon’s earrings!
Is there really no other way?
From afar, I can see Bromrik smirking at me. His disgusting smile makes my stomach turn.
Is there a way to kill this bastard a couple hundred times, without wasting bullets, while avoiding the slaves attack at the same time?
…
Wait!
There is!
Revelation strikes again. An idea comes up. I don’t know if this will work or not, but it doesn’t hurt to try!
So, with just one hand, I empty my mag, toss my gun spiraling up in the air, grab my other “special mag”, dodge an attack from the moon elves, then click!
Desert Eagle successfully reloaded!
Then, after finding a good opening, I steady my aim, hold my breath.
The very air seems to still. This time, it’s my turn to smirk back at him.
“Ha, eat this you pig,”
Bang!
The bullet flies again, straight into his head as usual.
Bluebery
Thank you for reading!
Next chapter: Monday Nov 6th.
